SMARTSPACES, THOR EQUITIES AND DOWNTOWN ALLIANCE BRING EMPTY SPACE TO LIFE
Regeneration features New York Artists Hilary Harnischfeger, Kim Krans, Cordy Ryman;
Opening October 7, 2009 at 88 Greenwich Street
What if all the empty windows were filled with art? Smartspaces would like to find out.
Smartspaces is delighted to present Regeneration, curated by Stacey Goergen in the windows of 88 Greenwich Street. Opening Wednesday, October 7th, the exhibit brings a new aesthetic to the space while signage promotes it for lease. This is the newest example of Smartspaces’ vision for turning vacant storefronts into a new platform for public art, in partnership with real estate owners.
Sponsored by Thor Equities and the Downtown Alliance, Regeneration showcases three New York-based artists -- Hilary Harnischfeger, Kim Krans and Cordy Ryman -- delivering an innovative public art project to the local residents, businesses and thousands of passersby daily. The space is always open and in-sight, and every viewer has instant access to exhibit information with free cell phone audio guides. Signs provide direction on utilizing phones for additional details and leasing the space.
Regeneration re-enforces art’s potential to change, and in doing so reflects on the surrounding area. The artists work with different materials—from paper to plaster to crystal to wooden 2 x 4s—to create something new. Countering contemporary artistic trends that stress the fragmented and unmonumental, these artists engage in a regenerative process that builds up, rather than breaks down.
Smartspaces brings a fresh new dynamic to the area that not only enriches the character of the neighborhood but also attracts a mix of people from New York City’s diverse worlds. Artists get the opportunity to meet brokers at the October 7 opening event, making for a spirited evening that crosses the wires between art and commerce. Smartspaces operates as a non-profit through fiscal sponsorship from the New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA). For more information: www.smartspaces.org .
The Downtown Alliance is sponsoring Regeneration to demonstrate their vision for a new Greenwich South, outlined in “Five Principles for Greenwich South,” a visioning study for Lower Manhattan. Key strategies include creating innovative and diverse models for dynamic street-level activity and bringing artists and cultural organizations to the area. The study also seeks to reconnect the area to the thriving hubs of creative capital to the north in Tribeca, Hudson Square, the West Village, and Chelsea. You can learn more atwww.greenwichsouth.net.
